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Monday, August 3, 2009

Orlando, Florida. The 66th Quadrennial Convention of IATSE, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees became the twenty-first international union to endorse HR 676, national single payer healthcare legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI).

On July 29, 2009, over 800 delegates, representing more than 100,000 members nationwide, voted unanimously to endorse H.R. 676. Since a campaign to endorse HR 676 began within IATSE last January, over seventy-five individual IATSE locals have endorsed HR 676.

International President Matthew D. Loeb stated from the podium after the vote that HR 676 is the "right thing to do."

Robert Score, Recording Corresponding Secretary of IATSE Local One in New York City, led the six month campaign.

HR 676 would institute a single payer health care system by expanding a greatly improved Medicare system to everyone residing in the U. S.

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The CUNY Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies

Check out the labor classes available at the CUNY Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies. There is a joint CUNY/Cornell Certificate in Employee Labor Relations program, and undergraduate Union Semester program and the MA in Labor Studies program that I finished in June 2011 . See the info at: http://www.workered.org/

The East Coast Council handles production of low-budget feature films, defined as $8 million and below. The Council represents all below-the-line production locals within the IATSE (camera, hair, makeup, props, electricians, etc.) They take a flexible approach to the crewing of productions, by reducing member wages and benefits based on deferment.

For more information about the East Coast Council, contact either of its co-chairmen, Local 600 Eastern Regional Director Chaim Kantor (212-647-7300) or Local 52 President John Ford (212-399-0980).